1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to spas and whirlpools generally and suction fittings or assemblies specifically located on the bottom or sides of the spa or whirlpool bathtub through which water flows either by gravity while draining or by a pump that sucks water through the suction fittings and returns to the spa or whirlpool bath via plumbing and other fittings.
2. Description of Related Art
Spas and whirlpool tubs are designed to offer a therapeutic effect on users by circulating and forcing water or a water/air mixture into the enclosure. A pump pulls water through the suction fitting and forces the water through jets where air may be mixed, attached to the bottom or sides of the spa or whirlpool bathtub. There is a problem in the known spas and whirlpools related to the dangers associated with hair entanglement or body entrapment in the aforementioned system, in particular in some known spas or whirlpools which include overlapping coaxial tubes that form an air flow path. The space between tubes permits easy clogging. In operation, the pump pulls water from the spa or bathtub through the suction fitting creating a force that attracts free-flowing objects such as hair and other objects that are nearby such as part of a person's body. When an object blocks the flow, the vacuum pressure approaches 29.9 inches Hg (14.7 psi) and may remain high if there is no means to free the object or disable the pump. This could result in panic, discomfort, pain or death of the user.
There is also a problem with known spas and whirlpools related to water retention. For example, in the Whirlpool Bathtub Industry there is a desire to reduce the amount of water that a plumbing system and all its components will retain after the bathtub is drained. This desire is linked to the fact that water left stagnant for a period of time is a ripe breeding ground for growing bacteria of varying types. Some are harmful to humans and some just noxious. Therefore, the effort to reduce retention of water after drawing in a whirlpool bathtub environment is very important to the manufacturers of whirlpool bathtubs and also to the end user.